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Twenty-Eighth Session
In their last adventures, the Traitor's Keep crew defeated Ayleen and then went shopping despite being warned that they should really leave Thracien because there are bounties on their heads. Fin and Alice visited the coliseum to investigate why Fin's old centaur friend Solomon has returned to gladiator life, and Ishaq, Markoris, and Alice hung out in the high-end gambling district featuring a rather risque cabaret. While exploring with the advantage of moderate undercover (Ishaq Disguised Self as a high elf who favored blue, his "servants" Markoris and Alice, and Raul as his "bodyguard" -- all concluded with the benefit of his deception), they encountered a strange sight: a fire genasi amidst the audience. Ishaq recognized genasi as a race, given the morally gray experiments that the Sky Spire had committed upon individuals of that race. Markoris, unbeknownst to his companions, also recognized that this man was a genasi. After the performances (some deeply sexual in nature), Ishaq made his way over to the genasi with his entourage in tow. He charmed the man enough to earn an invite back to his bedroom and his name: Xenatrus. Those accompany the wealthy genasi merchant were that of a strange elf who seemed to have been glamored and Donna, a dwarven woman who will conduct the caravan to Azkaresh that will take the party to their next mission and their rendezvous with Alana's comrade Kiwi. Upon learning of Donna's role, the group quickly made their exits and concocted a backstory (if need be) in the dank of a quiet alley. The session begins with the party near the coliseum, having finished shopping and fucking around, just before the coliseum opens for the day. Visitors aren't allowed "backstage" to talk to the gladiators, so the party needs to sneak in to soothe Max's fanboy soul. After discussion and bickering, Ishaq offers to create a DISTRACTION for the guards at the back entrance by using his Greater Invisibility spell. Fishboy knocks on the door, Ishaq casts the spell -- intent to slip past whatever guard they might encounter so he could create some captivating ruckus within so that the rest of the party might sneak themselves past the threshold and deeper inside. The party knocks on the service entrance and are met by a half-orc guard. After establishing how far apart the half-orc guard's legs are, an invisible Ishaq slips through them and darts into the rear of the hallway (with an 18 DEX roll). Thanks to some noisy mayhem by Ishaq's Minor Illusion and a surprising 20 on stealth from Raul, the party is able to sneak in while the half-orc William blames an off-stage guard Brian for breaking vases AGAIN. They're soon spent arguing back and forth, busying themselves with chasing an apparent poltergeist while Ishaq continues to make vase-breaking noises to ensure the party's success. After sneaking inside, the team finds the cells that gladiators dwell in between matches, though they don't hold any person against their will. Locked cells hold dangerous beasts like manticores and lions. The party follows Fin toward Solomon's cell, with Max rehearsing what to say when he meets the gladiators, who he's a fan of. But Max's plans are derailed when he encounters a human Russell Crowe look-alike in one of the cells- Immanem, a comrade from Max's old military days who left the service and went home before Max became a mercenary. While Max begins freaking out, Fin reaches Solomon, seeing him for the first time in years. It is very awkward. Solomon warns Fin and his friends that it is dangerous to be around him, but that they are all going to Azkaresh- the same city the party is headed next- the next day, and that Fin could send him a letter or something once there. He gives no real explanation for how he ended up back in gladiator life. Meanwhile Max and Immanem catch up. Meeting his fellow veteran brings out a comparably warmer side of Max, and each soldier expresses surprise that the other is still alive. Immanem says that gladiator life isn't that bad, and tempts Max with the idea of a career of his own. Quietly, Max asks him to pass along any word he might find of someone named 'Cyrus', and indicates it's better that others continue to believe him dead. Immanem also gives Max a couple contacts to other old comrades who have survived the war and made lives for themselves elsewhere, and hopes to see Max again in Azkaresh. After sneaking away from the coliseum, it's last call for Thracien. Ishaq's influence of the town criers has resulted in news of Ayleen's demise spreading through the streets. At this point the party reaches LEVEL 8! Before joining Donna's caravan the next morning, which consists mostly of merchants on various mounts with no wagons and carts. They set off on the long trip toward the Sandsea and Azkaresh, and are joined by Kiwi before long. During the journey, they encounter the Tabaxi fortune-teller Lady Fate, who provides each member of the party with foreshadowing at what the next phases of their adventures may hold in store for them.